INTRODUCTION

After a heart attack, from which he recovered, the husband hugged his wife.
He said, "Honey, if something happens to me, the presents hidden in my
closet are yours."
She replied, "Honey, if something happens to you, EVERYTHING in your
closet is mine."

Well, something DID happen to Jesus.
He lived, died and was resurrected.

BUT - He leaves EVERYTHING to you!

Hebrews shows no writer explicitly.
Clement of Alexandria (150-215ad) attributed the letter to Paul.
Some others have done the same.

The 3rd Coucil of Carthage (296ad) mentions 13 epistles of Pauline
writing, and "one epistle of the same author to the Hebrews."

TRUTH: No matter WHO physically wrote it, God is the AUTHOR!
He spoke, and people wrote.

2Tim. 3:16 says, "ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God...."
The Greek word from which inspiration is derived is
theopneustos, which means God-breathed.

It appears Hebrews was written to 2nd generation believers.
And Heb. 5:12 appeals to older Christians who "ought to be
teachers."

Presumably, Paul was beheaded in Rome about 58ad.
Hebrews was written before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70ad.
So, it IS possible that Paul penned the epistle.

Hebrews is called a "midrash" because it is written and not
preached.

Many passages in Hebrews refer to Old Testament Scriptures.
This exhibits the tremendous knowledge the penman had of
the O.T. Scriptures.

When the book begins, it gives a study of:
the SUPERIORITY of Christ Jesus.

CHAPTER 1
Vss 1-3
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom
also he made the worlds;
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by
the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty
on high:

God has spoken by many prophets in the Old Testament under varying circumstances.
But, "in these last days" (we are living in them) God has spoken clearly and distinctly
through His "Son" - JESUS!

And, Jesus is appointed by God to be "heir of ALL things."
That's because it was by Jesus that all things were created! (See John 1:1-3)

Jesus is "the brightness of" God's "glory!"
He is the "express image" of God's PERSON!

Jesus also is "upholding all things by the Word of His power!"
He is "BEFORE all things, and by Him all things consist!"(Col. 1:17)

Jesus ALONE "purged" our sins!
He did that before you and I were born! (Rom. 5:8)

Jesus is NOW sitting on the "right hand" of God, which is the place of POWER!
(See Matt. 28:18)

Vss 4-6
4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent
name than they.
5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?
And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God
worship him.

Jesus is "so much beter than the angels" because He has obtained "a more excellent
NAME."
Philippians 2:9-11 says it this way,
"Wherefore God hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and
things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD!"

The PERSON of Jesus as the image of God existed before time began!
Then, He ENTERED time as a human and exhibited the reputation He had as "equal with God!"

When Jesus ascended, He returned to the glory He has ALWAYS had WITH God!

((A commuter on the train was talking on his cell phone with his mother.
He was trying to END the conversation, but she just kept talking.
Finally he said, "NO Mom. I do NOT want to talk to the dog!"))

I think we ALL should WANT to talk to JESUS!

Vss 7-8
7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is
the sceptre of thy kingdom.

Angels, like you and me, are SUBJECT to Jesus.
In Ps. 104:4, it is said, "Who (God) maketh His angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire."
In Ps. 45:6, it is said, "THY throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom
is a RIGHT sceptre!"

Vs 9
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee
with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

This is the reason WHY Jesus has a "right sceptre!"
He lived a life on earth WITHOUT sin!
He loved righteousness and hated iniquity!
Jesus is the "CHRIST" the ONLY anointed of God!
He also has made mankind GLAD because they can, through surrender to Him, become SAVED,
WASHED, and PRESENTED to God as CLEAN!

Jesus is IN the Father, and the Father is IN Him! (John 14:11, Col. 1:19, Col. 2:9)

Vss 10-12
10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works
of thine hands:
11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment,
12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy
years shall not fail.

It is by Jesus that all things are created (John 1:1-3, Heb. 1:2).

ALL of this creation will one day PERISH!
Jesus will fold it up like a man folds a coat!

But, Jesus is ALWAYS the same, the never ending LORD! (See Heb. 13:8)

And the universe, folded and put away, will give way to a NEW heavens and earth! (1Pet. 3:13)

Vs 13
But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy
footstool?

Ps. 110:1 says, "The Lord said unto my Lord, sit here while I make thine enemies thy footstool."
Jesus used that verse in Matt. 22:44, Mark 12:36 and Luke 20:43!
When Jesus quoted that Scripture, He was referring to the fact that David had called Him LORD!

Though Jesus was physically born through David's descendents, spiritually He
HAS and ALWAYS will BE!

The DEITY of Jesus is seen when we compare the above verses with the scene at the manger!
That baby in the manger was GOD in flesh!
He CONTAINED Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- God INCARNATE! (Col. 1:19 & 2:9 again)
He FULFILLED the prophecy of Isaiah 43:11, "I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is
NO SAVIOR!" (See also, Hos. 1:7, Hos. 13:4, Micah 1:3)

Vs 14
Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Angels of God are created to be "ministering spirits" to those who will be "heirs of
salvation!"

God GIVES "everlasting life" to ANY and ALL who surrender to Christ! (John 3:16)
It is a gift that KEEPS ON GIVING!
Because God is CONSTANTLY saving us THROUGH our living, so that we might receive
the ULTIMATE joy of living in glory FOREVER with Him!!

((On a funny note, Dad was putting his daughter to bed.
The moon was shining brightly through the window.
Dad decided to USE that as a teaching point.
He asked, "Who made the moon?"
She answered: "JESUS!"
He asked, "Who made the stars?"
She answered: "JESUS!"
He asked, "And who made ME?"
She smiled and said, "GRANDMA!"))